Energy detectives on the case at local schools

Dec. 5, 2013

Updated Dec. 6, 2013 5:40 p.m.

1 of 12

Paul Juarez, an energy manager for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, takes a peak inside a classroom at Yorba Linda High School to identify any air conditioners, heaters, computers and lights using up unnecessary energy while school is not in session. Energy managers have been hired to watch energy trends outside of school hours and have saved thousands of dollars in energy costs. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Paul Juarez, foreground, and Eddie Tabata, energy managers for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, take a peak inside a classroom at Yorba Linda High School to identify any air conditioners, heaters, computers and lights using up unnecessary energy while school is not in session. Energy managers have been hired to watch energy trends outside of school hours and have saved thousands of dollars in energy costs. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Eddie Tabata, left, and Paul Juarez, energy managers for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, make sure a fan belt of an air conditioner at Yorba Linda High School is working properly. Eddie and Paul's roles are to identify any air conditioners, heaters, computers and lights using up unnecessary energy while school is not in session. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Paul Juarez, left, and Eddie Tabata, energy managers for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, take a peak inside a classroom at Yorba Linda High School to identify any air conditioners, heaters, computers and lights using up unnecessary energy while school is not in session. Energy managers have been hired to watch energy trends outside of school hours and have saved thousands of dollars in energy costs. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Eddie Tabata, left, photographs an air conditioner unit which may need to be repaired as Paul Juarez checks its function during a regular energy check at Yorba Linda High School for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District. By identifying unnecessary energy use, energy managers such as Eddie and Paul save thousands of dollars for the school district. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Eddie Tabata, left, and Paul Juarez check air conditioner units on the roof of Yorba Linda High School for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District. By identifying unnecessary energy use, energy managers such as Eddie and Paul save thousands of dollars for the school district. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Paul Juarez climbs to the top of the roof in Yorba Linda High School in order to check if any air conditioners are on while school is not in session, part of a routine check through different schools for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Paul Juarez, left, and Eddie Tabata, energy managers for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, make sure a fan belt of an air conditioner at Yorba Linda High School is working properly. Eddie and Paul's roles are to identify any air conditioners, heaters, computers and lights using up unnecessary energy while school is not in session. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Eddie Tabata, left, and Paul Juarez, energy managers for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, check on filter tanks for the swimming pools at Yorba Linda High School. Eddie and Paul's roles are to identify any air conditioners, heaters, computers and lights using up unnecessary energy while school is not in session. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Paul Juarez, left, and Eddie Tabata, energy managers for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, check which sources of electricity are activated at Yorba Linda High School's electricity room. Eddie and Paul's roles are to identify any air conditioners, heaters, computers and lights using up unnecessary energy while school is not in session. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Eddie Tabata checks his laptop in order to see which units are on throughout the entire campus at Yorba Linda High School. Energy managers often go through entire schools or offices in order to find unnecessary use of electricity in order to save money for the school district. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 12

Eddie Tabata, left, and Paul Juarez look through a laptop which pinpoints all uses of energy inside school campuses such as Yorba Linda High School. Energy managers often go through entire campuses during the off hours to find what is using up energy when it shouldn't be, and are saving hundreds of thousands of dollars just by limiting the use of energy on campuses. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Paul Juarez, an energy manager for the Placentia Yorba Linda Unified School District, takes a peak inside a classroom at Yorba Linda High School to identify any air conditioners, heaters, computers and lights using up unnecessary energy while school is not in session. Energy managers have been hired to watch energy trends outside of school hours and have saved thousands of dollars in energy costs. KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Eddie Tabata and Paul Juarez prowl the empty classrooms and hallways of local schools at night with flashlights.

They're not crafty burglars.

Instead, they're on the lookout for air conditioners left running, the glow of computer monitors left on stand-by and cellphone chargers left in power outlets.

Tabata and Juarez are full-time energy managers for the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District. Through their work of chipping away at unnecessary energy consumption, the district saved $518,523 on electricity, natural gas and water from last December, when they went to work, to this August.

“We're really trying to change the culture,” said Juarez, 39. “We want the program not just to be about Eddie and (me). It's really about the entire district having a sustainable energy-management program, to be good stewards of the resources and the money we've been provided; and, if this program goes away, it will continue to be a part of the culture of the district.”

Tabata, 42, a self-described “science geek,” was a teacher on special assignment before becoming an energy manager. His projects ranged from teaching students about science and technology to helping teachers learn how to use their Gmail accounts.

Juarez had been a school counselor for at-risk students.

The two said they have had the difficult challenge of changing how the school district's staffers, and to some degree its students, use energy. The lesson is simple: If someone wouldn't do something wasteful at home, they're asked not to do wasteful things at school.

The district was turned on to taking a closer look at its energy use by Cenergistic, an energy-conservation company that works with school districts, universities, hospitals and churches. Cenergistic also has been employed by the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, the Orange Unified School District, the Tustin Unified District and the Fountain Valley Unified School District.

Tabata and Juarez analyze data from Southern California Edison to see where energy is improperly used outside of school hours. They then visit a school after dark to see what is sucking up electricity.

This involves going around in the dark with flashlights, because they are so adamant about not using energy unnecessarily.

Just in case a concerned neighbor sees flashlights inside a school, Tabata or Juarez calls the Sheriff's Department to let officials know they're on campus.

Juarez said the district's biggest energy users, by far, are the heating and air-conditioning systems. When Tabata and Juarez first came on the job, it was common for them to find empty rooms with the air-conditioning running at night. They've been able to cut that down by shutting them off at more reasonable hours.

Teachers have been able to save the district $40,000 this year by remembering to turn off the document cameras they use to project lessons onto the boards at the front of their classrooms.

Aquatic sports coaches have been diligent in using pool covers to help the district cut down on the cost of heating pools.

Tabata acknowledged that there has been some tension, with teachers getting hounded to turn off their computer monitors before they leave for the day.

“There are people who don't like me now,” he said. “That's kind of a change.”

After every complaint they receive after writing someone a note for not turning something off, Tabata and Juarez have sat down with the person to explain the importance of everyone doing his or her part to rack up savings.

Juarez emphasized that this change in the school district's energy use has happened because staff members bought in: “If it's just Eddie and me, it will never change because we can't get to everyone.”

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.